Vines
by Miss Seully
Summary: ON HIATUS Kagome Higurashi shook her head. She was probably just another notch on the bedpost to a guy like this. Kurama x Kagome
1. Another Notch on the Bedpost

**Blanket Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or Inu-Yasha, but I sure am glad _someone(+)_ created them! Imagine a world without them.. T.T.**

**Vines  
**_By Illianbo_

_{Chapter One}_

Kagome stared at the blood red hair spilling over the pillow and trickling over a bare, muscled back. Then, eyes drifting lower, at the sheets tangled around his hips.

The same sheets she was clutching to her chest.

_I… _Her mind went blank. Looking down, the heavy emerald green duvet under her fingertips was unfamiliar as well. _Where am I_…? She looked up, her head throbbing with the possibilities and one helluva hangover. His bedroom door was wide open, and her eyes followed a trail of clothing leading from the sides of the bed all the way across the living room to the main entrance. _At least they remembered to shut the door_, she thought distantly, unable to take it in.

Then, staring at it, a memory sparked.

_Her back connected with the door, and his calloused hands wrapped around her wrists, pushing them against the wood on either side of her head. Hot, feverish kisses danced along her throat and shoulders, her head thrown back, groaning, and flexing her fingers trying to touch him. Instead, her leg looped around his hips and she pulled him tight against her. He made a noise of approval deep in his throat, their lips reunited. Something sharp pinching her lips before warm metallic seeped in to her mouth. She didn't care, breaking his hold and tangling her hands in his hair. They stumbled further in to the apartment, until she pushed him against another wall, accidentally knocking down something and it crashing to the floor._

Her eyes sought the proof with a frantically beating heart, staring at the upside down picture of a group of smiling people lying innocently on the floor, the glass cracked from it's undignified fall from grace.

Mouth working uselessly for a few long moments as more scattered imaged reunited in her mind like a half-remembered dream- More faces and sounds and touches, clashing together until finally she squeezed her eyes shut. Kagome pressed fingertips against her aching temples, ignoring the heat gathering in her face. _I had sex with him._ She couldn't remember exactly, but why else would they wake up naked? _Sex with_… The words echoed in her mind, until another groan threatened to rip itself from her throat. _I'm never drinking with those three again_, she thought darkly. Eri, Ayumi, and Yuka had officially joined her hitlist. Why did they let a stranger take her _home_ for chrissake?

They had been celebrating Yuka's raise last night, going to a bar close to her work for drinks. Dancing, too, and then… red hair and a charming smile flitted through her mind. And a warm, teasing mouth slightly clumsy from alcohol. The sound of the noisy bar quickly fading into quiet streets, then rushing up several stairways, giving chase until she had been captured. And she remembered expert fingers ghosting under her dress to paradise. Then more when he-

She attempted to shove to images from her mind, before stopping herself._ Waitaminute_. Kagome felt her stomach turn slightly. _She didn't even know his name_. And if she had, she didn't remember it now.

Opening her eyes a crack, Kagome glanced at the handsome stranger sleeping soundly beside her before shaking her head, blushing deeply.

No, and she didn't want to know.

She was probably just another notch on the bedpost to a guy like this.


	2. A Man Like That

**Vines**  
_By Illianbo_

_{Chapter 2}_

"So you just _left_?" Yuka demanded through the phone. "Are you crazy! Why?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Kagome countered, cradling a mug of hot coffee in her lap. She was nursing a hangover and didn't care if she was being slightly bitchy- misery loved company afterall. "He could be a mass-murderer for all I know."

"Doubt it," Yuka muttered. "A man like that doesn't need to kill someone for them to fall at his feet."

Kagome took a sip of her coffee, deigning not to answer _that _dubious truth. That didn't change anything. She had still slept with him, she thought angrily.

Then her shoulders dropped, and she fought off the self-pity. It was as much her fault as anyone else's. How was she any different than those women who fell at his feet? But if she was just like them, wouldn't she have stayed in the morning hoping for a repeat performance?

_No, _Kagome thought to herself firmly. _This was a one time thing. _

Her brow wrinkled slightly, swallowing another swig of fortifying caffeine. 'One time' thing or no, her curiosity was still there, ever-present in the cavity of her mind, and it was telling her there was definitely something strange about that guy and his belongings.

As she had been searching for her clothes that morning, it seemed as if the houseplants throughout the apartment (this guy must love gardening) kept… _swaying_ towards her. She didn't know whether to blame this on an overcrowded, over emotional, over-processing brain but she could have sworn sparks of youki were playing against her sixth sense. Even more so when she crawled under the table to get one of her high heels. As her fingers were stretching out, trying to capture the strap and tug it closer she suddenly felt something… snap against her behind. She yelped, before quickly slapping a hand over her mouth and glancing at the bedroom. No movements, no sounds. Thank goodness. She glared at the long-stemmed plants accusingly, as they swayed toward her again. Those plants had been awfully suspicious. Maybe she was paranoid (and with good reason!) but good looking men and traces of youki never boded well for a priestess such as herself. Kagome sighed in to her cup, ignoring the faint clink of a ring against the ceramic.

Realizing her friend must have zoned-out, Yuka probed, "C'mon, Kagome. 'What's in a name?'" She joked.

Kagome smiled weakly. "Yeah..."

She wouldn't tell Yuka, but she _did_ find out what his name was. Walking down all those flights of stairs, pulling her jacket tighter around her and uselessly patting her messy hair, her resolve had dulled. Even if he was a playboy she wanted to know his name. _If only to avoid it in the future_, Kagome thought. So she had glanced at his mailbox in the lobby on her way out, finding his apartment number on the wall of identical mail boxes. _Minamino, Shuuichi. _Unremarkable, not the name of a murderer, and Kagome's fears had been put to ease. But that didn't stop her from making her friends feel some shred of guilt for letting her go off with a some _nameless_ guy.

"Why didn't you stop me last night?" Kagome asked suddenly,

"Oh please, you needed to get laid," Yuka waved her hand dismissively, ready for this argument. "And according to his friends, so did he. You were perfect for one another."

Her fingers flexed around the mug, fending off the urge to throttle her friend. Click. "He was a _stranger_," she stressed.

Yuka was silent for a moment. "Are you mad?"

Kagome sighed. _Of course I am_! "Yeah. Having sex with some guy won't solve any of my problems, you know. It only creates _more_ problems. And," her voice lowered, feeling a sliver of the misery creep in, if only for a moment before she banished it. "I don't even know if we used protection."

"Kagome, drunk or not, you're the most responsible person I know. I'm sure you wouldn't let him within ten feet of you if he didn't have any," she replied. "So don't worry about it. You probably won't even see him again- Tokyo's a big city." She could practically hear the shrug in Yuka's voice.

Kagome sighed, staring in to the milky darkness of her coffee cup. Yuka was right - it wasn't likely. She was rarely in that part of the city and… She blinked, something clicking faintly against her coffee mug. She removed her left hand, finally noticing it. A little shimmer catching in the morning light. It was a delicate silver ring, two silver vines twisting around one another and around her finger with little glints of emeralds reflecting off the small leaves.

Her heart stopped.

She hadn't noticed it earlier, a little too preoccupied with her situation to give an added weight on her left hand much thought. _But…_ Her eyes impossibly wide, and mouth working uselessly for the second time that morning, she wondered if sleeping together was the _only_ thing they had done last night.

"_Kagome, are you still there? Hello?_"

"Y-Yeah, I'm here." She swallowed. "Hey Yuka, I just remembered I'm meeting someone for lunch. Can I call you later this week?"

"Sure," she replied hesitantly. "Kagome, are you sure you're okay?"

"Fine," Kagome said weakly. "I'll talk to you later."

Hanging up, Kagome set the phone down and reached out with her other hand to touch the ring, feeling it's smooth, delicate curves. It was simple and beautiful, but it had to be ungodly expensive for such craftsmanship. Still, Kagome loved it.

She had to give it back.

Kagome closed her eyes, forcing herself to take a deep breath. It might be a family heirloom. _Or his wife's_, her mind supplied evilly. She was none the wiser if he had been married.

But she knew she'd have to return it. It was the right thing to do. While part of her was relieved she was going to do something good in spite of all this immorality, her stomach did another funny flip.

She'd be seeing Shuuichi Minamino much sooner than she thought.


	3. Merely Facts

_**Vines**_

_**Chapter 3**_

_This had better be good!_ Yuusuke wasn't a morning person. Never had been, never would be. And whoever was knocking on his door at - he glanced at the clock on the wall - at 11:58 in the goddamn morning was about to have his ass handed to him. He swung the door open. "Who the fu-"

The spirit detective stopped mid-expletive, meeting the narrowed green eyes of his team-mate who still had his fist poised in the 'knocking' position. He didn't look happy, either. There was a moment of silence between the pair as Yuusuke squinted, eyes adjusting to the bright sunlight. Scratch that. Kurama didn't look 'unhappy' - he looked downright pissed. Yuusuke frowned. What did _he_ do?

"Who was she?"

Yuusuke blinked, then blinked again. "Who was who?"

"The woman I went home with last night," Kurama said. "Who was she?"

"Hell if I know. _How_ was she?" Kurama shot him a cold look and Yuusuke shuddered, folding his arms across his chest.

Apparently, today _wasn't_ the day to fuck around with the red-head.

Yuusuke paused, a proverbial light bulb going off above his head the longer he looked at his friend. The messy hair, the attitude, the smell of alcohol and sex clinging to him like a second skin… "You don't remember a damn thing do you?"

"Yuusuke," Kurama warned.

"What _do_ you remember?" Yuusuke continued, leaning against his doorframe and ignoring all signs of clear and _very _immediate danger as he mocked at his friend's predicament. Kurama wasn't one to make a big deal out of sleeping with a beautiful woman; Hell, he had the pick of the litter with 'em. But this was the first time he had come to _him_ demanded answers on the who, what, and where of things.

Kurama growled a little, shoving a hand through his already disheveled hair. "More than enough. And that's why I need to contact her. She left before I woke up this morning."

"Whoa, whoa, _whoa_. What did you just say?" Ignoring the sour look the kitsune was now giving him, Yuusuke laughed outright. "She just _left_? _And _without you knowing? Damn, beauty _and_ brains. Maybe I shou-"

Okay, the detective decided, so maybe today _really_ wasn't the day to fuck with him.

Yuusuke suddenly found himself nose to nose with flickering green-gold eyes. "Yuusuke," Kurama's voice was smooth and collected, but it had the undertone of carnage, "you _will_ tell me what I want to know. _Immediately_."

"Easy there, fox boy." Yuusuke held up both of his hands in mock-surrender. "I don't remember much, but you can take it or leave it." Kurama was motionless for a long moment, meting out a long, hard stare before he backed off, his eyes calming to a dark green again.

_Something is up_, Yuusuke thought. _It doesn't take a genius to figure that out. So what the hell happened to make _Kurama_ of all people freak out? _

"After you two left, _making out the whole way_," Yuusuke added, ignoring the faint growling of the other male, "we talked to her friends for a bit. They were helluva annoying, but they were going on and on about "Kagome-chan" getting together with such a '_hot_'" - he rolled his eyes here - "guy. Apparently, 'Kagome' doesn't date much."

"What else?"

"Besides that she holds her liquor about just as bad as you do?" Yuusuke's grin was back. "I've got nothing. You?"

"Blue eyes," he murmured. Yuusuke frowned, watching as friend closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his nostrils flaring. He didn't even hesitate. "And she smelled like spices."

Yuusuke snorted. "Spare me the sappy, romantic shit, will ya?" Kurama cracked one eye open just enough to glare at him.

"I'm not being 'romantic,' Yuusuke," he said calmly. "They're merely facts. There was also," he touched his waist, as if mentally going through a map of her body. "scarring on her right hip. There were several other scars as well, minor ones. And…." Both of his eyes turned to the detective suddenly, wrestling with something before he finally said it. "She saw Youko."

"_WHAT!" _

* * *

_Meh. Fall semester began last week and it's going to be a rough one. Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! I will do my best to faithfully update as often as I can. =) _


	4. Promise

**_Vines_**

**Chapter 4**

It wasn't coming off.

Kagome swallowed, shakily brushing the hair out of her eyes. Her left hand was bright red from scrubbing and pulling and trying to coax the ring over her knuckles. Nothing worked.

She tried everything she could think of - Cocoa butter, vegetable oil, weed killer, ice, even Windex!

"I will not panic," Kagome told herself, inhaling deeply and counting to three. "I will not freak out. There is a perfectly logical explanation why I woke up wearing a small, beautiful," she paused, closing her eyes with a wince. "… And _strange_ ring on _that_ finger. Because I did _not_ marry him. I wouldn't marry him." _Kami, I really hope denial's just a river in Egypt_. "Besides, what's worse? Demons out to kill you or being Missus… Missus… damn it, what's his name!"

Kagome sniffled, heaving the bottle of soap in the kitchen sink and listening to it clatter against the sides. This was too much.

She slept with him. Whoever 'he' was since _she couldn't remember his name right now_, she thought darkly. Minamito. Minomoto_. Whatever it was_. She could live with that. She had left his apartment this morning with some thread of dignity intact, afterall. She would not be some playboy's toy to chew on until he got bored. S_he_ had left _him _without looking back.

Then, she discovered this ring. And on _that_ finger. Even that she could have lived with. No big deal, she had told herself, she would just finish her coffee, take a shower, return the ring and tell him, "have a nice life." But first she would have to take the ring off.

And _that_ was the problem.

It wouldn't move an inch_, _even when it _should_ have.

There was just no way it was a normal ring.

_I should have know_, Kagome sniffled. _Out of all the people in this city, it figures I would manage to find the one male that possesses demonic jewelry_.

She had tried pulling the ring off. Kagome watched in fascination as the metallic vines wiggled out of her grasp, twisting further around her finger in a different design and going back to sleep. She could have sworn in had yawned. It was _alive_. There was a faint pulse of youki against her hypersensitive skin, her purification powers rising to the surface. Her body hadn't rejected it or burned it to a crisp; rather, the ring seemed to feed on her energy like she was it's favorite snack. Even more, her body had _let_ it.

Kagome had spent the better part of an hour trying to take it off. She was more than a little panicky, even glancing at the box of matches on the window sill a few times. What if it ate up all her energy; would she be defenseless against any demon attacks? What if it was a tracking device? What if this was some weird mating ritual for demons? Did what's-his-name even know about this?

_Of course he does_, Kagome thought darkly. It hadn't been her imagination this morning when she had sensed the faint traces of youki around his apartment. And all those plants… They were as suspicious as the man who took care of them! Kagome sighed and dropped her head in her hands. Her butt bumped against the counter so she leaned against it.

"What am I going to do?" She asked miserably.

Avoid him.

She had an advantage: She knew where he lived, his name (sort of), what he looked like and what he was. He, on the other hand, may know what she looked like but he didn't know anything else. At least, she didn't think he knew. _Then again, drunks don't have a self-perseveration instinct do they? _She groaned. _Or I wouldn't be in this mess_. For all she knew, he could be on his way to her apartment at this very moment.

Kagome shoved the thought away. She had to work with what she had.

Until she found out what the ring was for _and _how to remove it, she wouldn't go out of her way to find him. Like Yuka said, _it's a big city_. She would be okay for now. It had been years since she had battled a demon but she hadn't been lazy; She jogged every day and took judo classes at the local dojo. And, if nothing else, she had her powers if all else failed.

Still, that meant she would have to warn her family to be prepared just in case.

Kagome bit her lip. _Which meant…_ Her eyes widened.

No way. _No way _in hell _am I telling my mother about last night_! Kagome shuddered, imagining the lecture that would probably burn her ears enough to last a lifetime. _"You may be twenty-four and moved out, and you may have gone to war and killed demons when you were fifteen, but you are still my daughter and my daughter most certainly does not have drunken sex with strangers at _any_ age!"_

No, a little white lie wouldn't hurt anyone in this case.

_I'll tell them I met Shuuichi - Shuuichi, that's his name! - on my way home from work a few months ago and that we've been on a few dates. He surprised me with a_… _what did Ayumi call those things? A 'promise ring' at dinner a few nights ago. Since then, I haven't been able to take it off and I think Shuuichi is more than what meets the eyes._ _I haven't seen him since_. _End of story._

That sounded believable. That way her family could still take safety precautions without knowing (or ever knowing) about last night.

It would be okay. She relaxed a little.

_Bzzz! __Bzzz!_

Kagome jumped when her cell phone went off, vibrating against the coffee table as it turned in a full circle by itself. Kagome pressed a hand to hear heart and exhaled slowly. _Cell phone, not a miko-eating demon._ _Cell phone_. Walking over, she snatched it up and looked at the caller id.

Ah, figures.

"_Hey sis_!"

Kagome smiled slightly. "Hey yourself." Somehow, hearing her little brother's voice was somewhat calming. Well, maybe 'little' brother wasn't the right word anymore - He was a good head taller than her and on the kendo team at his high school. She sat on the couch, and fiddled with her ring; it didn't protest her busy fingers, it merely stayed asleep.

"_Are you free tonight_? _Mom wants me to bring over some food_. _She says you're not eating enough- Again. As if we didn't know that already._"

"Hey, I eat just fine," she defended herself.

"_Hate to break it to ya, sis, but granola bars and energy drinks are not a sustainable diet."_

"Shows how much _you _know," Kagome replied, sticking her tongue out at the receiver. "Try living off nothing but ramen for two years - Now _that_ is an unhealthy diet."

"_No thanks_," he said, grimacing. "_So, hey, are you free?_"

Kagome glanced at the clock above her desk. "No, I have work tonight. My next day off is Wednesday."

"_Workaholic_," Souta muttered under his breath. Kagome sighed. It was an argument she'd heard hundreds of times before.

Her family didn't like the long hours she worked at the hospital. And they hadn't been particularly thrilled when she moved out two years ago, but they understood why. It was the same reason she worked so much - and they tried not to take it too personally.

Life in this era was boring; she could go back to being normal after all she had seen and done in the feudal era.

She wasn't like her friends who obsessed about make-up and boys and how unfair their lives were - No, she walked softly, watched carefully, and fell in to a fighting stance when someone accidentally brushed against her in the hallway. She was proud of her scars and she could care less about _dating_. Those thoughts, among others, only made her the recipient of both dirty and pitying looks in high school.

So, instead of changing and pretending to care, she had thrown herself in to her studies- then afterschool clubs and eventually student council. She earned a degree in nursing while working two part-time jobs. Now she worked seventy hour weeks in the pediatrics center at the local hospital. She made a point to fill in all the empty spaces in her calendar and her family thought it was unhealthy.

But what else could she do? She _wasn't_ normal. And Kagome couldn't get over how… _wrong_ this life felt and unless she kept her hands and mind busy she would spiral off in to the what-ifs. What if she had stayed on the other side of the well? What if, what if, what if - _anything but this_, her mind would whisper as she collapsed on her bed after a particularly long shift.

"And for your information," Kagome teased, sniffing haughtily. "I went out with some friends last night, thankyouverymuch."

"_Congratulations, you have a social life_." Souta replied dryly. "_You win a pony_."

Kagome made a face. "What would I do with a pony? Laaame." Souta chuckled on the other side of the phone and Kagome smiled. _Better now than never_, Kagome thought, bracing herself. "And I even had a date a few nights ago."

There was an odd choking noise on the phone and Kagome gave her cell a funny look before pressing it to her ear again. "Souta? You okay?" The choking noise turned in to a coughing fit. She heard her mother ask him if he was alright, but no one answered her. Kagome waited a few moments until her little brother sputtered, "_what did you just say!_?"

"Er… I went on a date?" Kagome felt her stomach do a funny flip-flop before it dropped completely. She had a ominous feeling about this.

Kagome suddenly felt something wriggle under her fingertips and she looked down, removing her hand from the ring.

_Is it… comforting me_? She wondered. The vines had laced between her fingers and began stroking the inside of her palm. The emeralds twinkled and seemed to glow from the inside out as if... _Those aren't gemstones; they're eyes_! A shiver lanced up her spine, a little creeped out by that revelation, but she tilted her head to the side nonetheless. It continued to stroke her palm and nuzzle it's … face? It's face against her skin.

_It's almost endearing_, Kagome smiled to herself. _Almost_. You know, if it wasn't evil and stuck to her finger like super glue.

"_You don't go on _dates!" Souta protested, saying the word as it a foreign concept to her. _"Aren't you the one who's always going on about how stupid and boring they are?_"

"Well, maybe I changed my mind." She replied. _Or maybe I got really, really drunk, slept with a stranger, and now I'm avoiding him because he's probably a demon who's out to kill me and possibly my family_. "And I'm a little bit past the cootie stage, don't you think?" She pointed out.

Souta snorted, but otherwise ignored her. "_What's his name? Where does he work? What makes him think you'd ever be interested in-_"

"Shuuichi." Kagome sighed. _I really hope this was the right idea_. Souta didn't sound happy. _And I almost hope Shuuichi Minamino isn't some innocent guy with a bad taste in jewelry- I may be about to release a world of sibling hellfire on him_. "That's his name. Shuuichi Minamino. and I'll you more about him when I visit, okay?"

"_No, not 'okay'! He could be-_"

"Oh, look at the time. I have to get going, Souta. Tell mama I'll call her tomorrow!"

"_Kagome_-"

"I love you! Bye!" She pressed 'end' and quickly turned off her phone before he could call back. All her breath left her in a great big whoosh, sagging against the couch.

Kagome stared up at the ceiling and reflected, not for the first time, how her life could get turned completely upside down in less than a day.

* * *

_Another update! This one's longer and little funnier I think. Over 2,000 words! I tried being serious and dramatic in this chapter, honest, but the characters seemed to have run away with the manuscript and don't seem to be coming back. Hopefully they know what they're doing. Hopefully. Dot dot dot? _


	5. Dialtone

**Vines**

**Chapter 5**

Souta stared at the phone in his hand, the dial tone mingling with the noise of mom putting away dinner. Gramps glanced at him over the edge of the newspaper but didn't say anything.

She had hung up on him.

His fearless, heroic big sister just _hung up_ on him.

_That_… _That_ …

_That little coward-!_

"Mom," Souta said as he turned in his seat, forearm resting on the back of the chair. If there was one thing he had learned how to do over the years it was lie with a straight face. So long as no one noticed the white-knuckled grip he had on his phone. "Kagome says I can bring the leftovers over tonight."

"She's doesn't have work?" She asked, surprised. Her daughter was always so busy; if it wasn't work, it was volunteering. If it wasn't that, she was at a conference or running or any number of things. _Maybe she's coming down with something,_ she thought, wiping her wet hands on her apron. _Kagome never takes a day off unless it's something serious._ "Souta, is everything all right with Kagome? Did she sound sick or upset at all?"

He shook his head automatically, then he paused. Kagome had _sounded_ normal enough, but she didn't like making them worry about her any more than necessary. Maybe there was something wrong with her. She could be faking. _Besides,_ _Kagome never goes out_; especially _not on 'dates.'_ He grimaced. _I bet it was her friends'__ idea of 'cheering her up' if Kagome was upset about something_. T_hey're always trying to set her up with losers_.

And all of them _were_ losers; completely and utterly lame. Sure, there had been some good-looking ones, some rich ones, and some downright assholes, but Kagome always turned them down. Always. _So why did she say yes to this guy_? He knew his sister well enough that there was more to this than what she was saying. There had to be. _Kagome wouldn't do something as lame as fall in love with some guy unless he-_

That was it!

Souta snapped his phone shut, the annoying dial tone silenced.

He met his mom's worried eyes and gave her a grin. "Don't worry, I'll find out," he promised. _Even if he had to corner her and black mail it out of her_.

"Thanks, Souta," mom said, smiling at her youngest. He was such a responsible, sweet boy. Then, she turned towards the refrigerator. "And I think I'll make some soup for her, just in case."

* * *

_As the youngest child and only daughter, I speak from experience when I say overbearing brothers are not fun. But even if you're two seconds away from disowning them as they interogate your prom date, other people seem to think it's an absolute _riot_. _

_...Traitors. (Author goes off to pout)._


	6. Snacks

**Vines**

**Chapter 6**

Yuusuke jabbed him in the chest. "Pick one already!"

Kurama glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, wrapping his fingers around the detective's wrist and squeezing slightly. "What are you talking about?" He asked. Yuusuke wasn't offset by his cool tone. Instead, he grabbed a fist full of his friend's crimson hair with his other hand and held it between them.

"Silver, red, silver, red," he growled, tugging on it a little for emphasis before dropping it. "Just pick one and stick with it, jeez! You're giving me a headache."

"I cannot help it, Yuusuke," he replied. "I told you, her energy is… unique."

"Well, that's your problem. You shouldn't have eaten it anyway, fox-boy."

Kurama sighed, feeling his fingernails lengthening in to claws and shoving them in his pocket. "Whether I should or should not have really isn't the point."

"So what _is_ the point then?" Yuusuke glanced over his shoulder, giving him a dirty look. "That she left a bad-taste in your mouth? Or that you're royally fucked if the toddler finds out you've been snacking on human girls? Because if I'm wasting my day off helping you look for this woman, I'd really like to know."

"I appreciate your help, Yuusuke, but you've got it wrong." Kurama murmured, shaking his head. _It was more than that_. He met the detective's gaze with an old, knowing look. "I need to find her."

"Is this some weird kitsune bullshit again?" He asked. Kurama shot him an amused look, and the detective scowled, stomping a few steps forward. "Fucking kitsunes. What a fucking pain in the ass."

Kurama chuckled.

"Well, got any more ideas?" Yuusuke asked. "Kuwabara doesn't know shit, neither did the bar owner, or anyone else we can think of. And her scent trail disappeared at the bus-stop by your apartment."

Kurama frowned. He didn't, not yet. Yuusuke knew it as well.

They only had her name and a scent to go on.

_That is enough_, he thought, closing his eyes. He _would_ find her. Her scent would haunt him to the ends of the earth if he didn't. It had called out to him even before Youko emerged; before their eyes had met across the bar.

Kurama slowly opened his eyes, a hazy golden hue that glowed in the dim evening light. And any kitsune worth his salt knew what that meant.

"I'll contact Hiei and see if he can't find out anything," Kurama said, drawing in a deep breath. "Until then, I'll keep my eyes and ears open." It wasn't admitting defeat, but it was close. Yuusuke folded his hands behind his head.

"We'll find her," he said, rolling his eyes. "So don't get your tails in a twist yet."

* * *

_Double update! And my brain is mush after studying all morning for my geology test. Thanks again for your reviews! There were several interesting comments about the siblings! It made me smile and crack up a few times (you know who you are). And as one reader pointed out, even if they are annoying and overbearing, it's well-intentioned. ... We hope anyways. And revenge is sweet regardless. Cheers!_


	7. Mace the Messenger

**Vines**

**Chapter 7**

It was nearly seven in the morning when Kagome stumbled in to her apartment, tiredly locking it and dropping her forehead against the back of the door. _Just another day in the life of fate's punching bag_, she thought humorlessly, closing her eyes. A deep whoosh of air left her, shoulders slumping forward. Her shift had been more stressful than usual last night; _and it was all his fault_, she decided.

'His,' of course, being Shuuichi.

The nurses on her shift had immediately demanded to know details about her 'engagement ring.' She had tried to fend the questions off, pretending to be busy, but there were only so many times she could check on her sleeping patients before it started to seem suspiciously like evasion. Tomo, one of the older, friendlier nurses she knew, was the one who finally managed to ferret out information about her 'promise ring' but Kagome didn't tell them his name. He was just 'the boyfriend' and thankfully they didn't care too much about that, preferring to know what he looked like and how sweet he was. Kagome made stuff up as she went along, wanting to strangle a certain red-head the whole time.

"I'll kill 'im," she mumbled to herself, savoring the cool metal beneath her cheek and the quiet sanctuary away from the outside world; the wriggling around her ring finger was quickly becoming a familiar comfort.

An abrupt snore caught her off guard and Kagome jumped, looking in the dark abyss of her apartment. Faint morning light was beginning to creep through the thin drapes in the living room, but it was hardly enough to discern a lamp from a thief. Kagome swallowed thickly, mentally weighing her options. She could leave and call the police or she could find out who had the nerve to intrude on _her_ home while she was earning rent money.

Kagome hardly hesitated. Gramps had bought her a small can of pepper spray when she moved out for 'protection,' and there was no better time to test it than the present. _And if it's a demon_, Kagome thought with a malicious grin, _he'll be sorry. _

The snoring only got louder as Kagome crept quietly in to the living room. The television was on, some infomercial playing quietly in the background, and there were empty containers of her take-out from two days ago scattered across the floor. The glow of the television stretched across the rug and up…. She sighed, shoulder slumping forward with relief, lowering the pepper spray when she saw just who was sprawled across her couch.

Souta.

Of course it would Souta.

His mouth was wide open and he looked pretty uncomfortable, head crooked to the side and her couch too cramped for his tall, lanky frame. Some textbooks were mixed in with the take-out on the floor, and Kagome figured he must have fallen asleep studying and raiding her left-overs.

But why was he here? She _told_ him she wouldn't be h-

Kagome aimed the pepper spray at him suddenly, her small frame shaking with tense muscles and narrowed eyes. Oh, she knew why he was here. Souta was waiting to pounce, just so he could be the first to lead an Inquisition on her personal life. Kagome _knew _she shouldn't have told him where she hid her spare key.

She should spray him for being such a… such a...!

She stayed like that for a moment longer, then turned away, irritably stuffing her revenge back in to her purse. _For being such a brother_, she sighed. He was worried about her, that was all. Besides, if mama found out she pepper-sprayed her 'darling' little brother, she wouldn't hear the end of it.

Moving around the couch, she tossed her stuff down on the counters in the kitchen.

But that didn't mean she wouldn't get _some _revenge.

Without mercy, Kagome flicked on the lights and started bustling around the kitchen, opening and closing cupboards loudly.

There was a loud groan from the couch.

"Time to get up, squirt!" she called cheerily over the din.

"Five more minutes," was the muffled reply.

Kagome only had to glance at the radio next to the sink before she turned that on too, cranking the volume up. It was some annoying, upbeat pop song that would even put her in a bad mood this early. Pouring herself a bowl of cereal, Kagome put on a pot of coffee, and felt satisfied when a messy head of dark hair finally emerged over the ridge of the couch to glare balefully at her.

"_You're evil_," he said.

"And you're going to be late," she replied around a mouthful of fruit loops. She motioned to the clock on the wall with her spoon. "School starts in twenty minutes."

"_Shit_!" Souta stumbled off the couch, but his foot slipped on the mess of papers across the floor and hit the floor face-first. He ignored her as she laughed at him, just grabbing his bag and slamming the bathroom door behind him.

"Tell mom thanks for the food when you get home tonight," she called through the door. She had noticed the neatly-marked containers of food in the fridge. Nothing was better than mama's cooking, but the 'get well' note atop them was a little odd. "Though I'm not sure if I should shoot the messenger or thank him."

"Well, what'd you expect?" Souta said a few minutes later, emerging from her bathroom with messy, damp hair falling in his eyes and a wrinkled uniform. "You hung up on me last night without telling me anything."

"So you told mom I would be home last night?"

"Duh," he said, grabbing an apple off the counter and taking a bite. He took the chair beside her, watching her calmly finish off her cereal and move on to the small container of yogurt. He narrowed his eyes. "So?" He pressed. "What's going on?"

"I don't know- what's with you breaking in to my apartment?" she countered, meeting his gaze with her own hard look.

"Oh, c'mon, sis! Tell me _something_."

Kagome sighed. _Why me_? _Would a little sister be this annoying_?

"Look, Souta, if I choose to date someone that's really none of your business. I don't pry in to your life, do I?"

"You do it all the time."

"But I'm your wise older sister. It's my job to know what's best for you and boss you around."

"Right," he said, looking as if he wasn't buying a word of it. "So I guess that makes it my job to tell you you're full of it and that your business _is_ my business."

"You can try," Kagome replied, shooting him a cheeky grin. "By all means, ask away."

He didn't say anything for a long moment, then, with all the tact of her favorite inu-hanyou, asked, "is your boss taking advantage of you?"

Kagome choked on her yogurt, slapping her hand against her chest a few times until she was sure it went down the right way.

"What gave you _that _idea!?" She demanded, sparks shooting out of her eyes. "No, I'm not messing around with my boss! _What kind of person do you think I am?_"

Souta leaned back, holding his hands in front of it. "Whoa! No, I didn't mean it like that! I just thought… Well, you're always at work and I thought, maybe," he cringed under intense gaze, "that, you know… That he was forcing himself on you or something."

"Like I would let my boss do something like that," she huffed, getting up. Grabbing a mug out of the cupboard, she poured a cup of coffee, not bothering to ask him if he wanted one, too. As she mixed in creamer and sugar, she took a deep breath. _You would think after all these years people would have some faith in my judgment._

"Yuka introduced us," Kagome finally said, glancing at him over her shoulder. He leaned forward in his seat, listening intently. "He's pretty good-looking and smart. We haven't gone on many dates, but there's something about him." Kagome mumbled the last part to herself, her hands slowing until she caught herself. She could feel the weight on her left hand more and more as she told the best half-truth she could muster. "I thought he was a good guy, too."

"But?" Souta moved to stand beside her, resting a hand on her shoulder. She glanced up at him, offering a slight, wavering smile at his gesture of support.

"I don't think he's entirely human," she said, watching his eyes widen. She turned back to the coffee machine. "So you should probably tell Mama and Gramps to be on guard. I'll stop by the shrine on Wednesday like I promised and put up some protection scrolls around the house. I don't think he'd do anything, but it wouldn't hurt to be prepared."

"Kagome…" Souta began. This was another reason he hated it when his sister dated; she had absolutely no luck with guys. She always ended up getting hurt one way or another. "Are you okay?"

She turned in a small swirl of dark hair, thumping him on the chest with a small fist. "Of course I am!" She declared, giving him a grin. "I survived the feudal era, remember? This is no big deal; I'm perfectly okay. But, _you_, on the other hand, are the one I'm worried about."

"Me? Why?"

"Because mama will kill you if you you're late for school again." Both of them glanced at the clock. 7:05.

"_Shit!_"

* * *

_Double update complete! Until next time. ;)_


	8. Prove it

**Vines**

**Chapter 8**

_Where is it_… Keiko rifled through her purse, looking for her keys to Yuusuke's apartment. She slowed to a stop at the end of the sidewalk, oblivious to the crowds moving past her, crossing the street. _I know I put them in here_! She wanted to surprise Yuusuke, maybe have breakfast together before Koenma called him in to work. She missed him, but - to be completely honest - she was a royally ticked off, too. They both had this weekend off, and after not seeing each other for _weeks_ because of his missions, he decided to go out with Kuwabara and Kurama instead. _Jerk_, she scowled. Who was she kidding? Having breakfast this morning was just a ruse; she wanted to knock some sense in to him before he sensed danger.

Her fingertips grazed the bottom of the bag and - still no keys. Keiko sighed. _Well, there goes the element of surprise_, she thought, turning around. _Maybe I s_-

Someone collided with her, hard, knocking her off-balance. She flung an arm out, fingers tangling in the front of his shirt, and if it weren't for the hands wrapping around her biceps, they both would have tumbled to the ground. "Whoa! Are you okay?" He asked, heavy breaths fanned across her face. "I'm so sorry, I didn't even see you."

Keiko swallowed slightly and nodded. It felt like she had just been hit with a wall of bricks: _How fast had he been running_? She opened her eyes, one at a time, not realizing she had closed them on impact, and blinking up at the boy who still had a tight grip on her.

Dark blue eyes stared down at her, concerned, and Keiko fought the urge to stare. _Blue eyes_. _What a strange color_! Then she felt like a idiot when noticed he was kind of cute, too, but a little on the young side.

"Y-Yeah," she said, stepping back. "You?"

His hand fell away, but he was still looking at her with a panicked expression.

"You sure? I didn't hurt you at all, right?" He asked. He was panting slightly, out of breath, and Keiko finally noticed his dishelved school uniform; it belonged to the private school a few blocks away. _He's late, _she guessed, suddenly amused. She saw his eyes flicker to the pedestrian crossing sign, grimacing slightly at the red "Do Not Cross" light. Cars started rumbling past, too busy to try bolting across.

"I'm sure," she said, smiling at him. "Late for homeroom?"

"A little," he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. He took the place next to her, deciding to wait until the light changed again. "I always forget how far Kagome's apartment is from school and sleeping in didn't help." Keiko's eyebrows shot up at that admission, looking at the boy again with new eyes. _He can't be more than sixteen! And he's spending the night at a woman's apartment_? He didn't notice the blush creeping over the older woman's face as he smiled at her. "How about you?"

"Visiting my boyfriend," she replied, glancing at the small apartment building just down the road. "He doesn't know the apocalypse is coming. Yet."

The boy laughed outright at that, grinning from ear to ear. "You sound just like my sister; she can be a real ball buster when she wants to be." He shook his head. "So what'd he do?"

"He went out drinking with his friends and didn't bother to call on his day off. We haven't seen each in three weeks because both of us have been so busy and now this," Keiko sighed, pushing a few strands of hair behind her ear.

She shouldn't be telling a stranger this; much less a playboy - he might get the wrong idea. But he was listening, hands tucked in his pocket and nodding, and Keiko couldn't resist. She couldn't tell the whole truth to anyone: her classmates wouldn't understand and she'd have to see them everyday, and Botan was quick to defend any of the detectives. But a stranger - It was an uncomplicated golden opportunity. And if he thought badly of her, who cared? She wouldn't see him again. "And I have this feeling he did something really stupid and that's why he's avoiding me," she finished, gripping her purse straps in a white-knuckled grip.

"Probably. We can be pretty stupid sometimes," he replied, as if speaking on behalf of the male species. "It sounds like he's due for a verbal beating, anyway. Just make sure there's something left when you're through, ne?"

Keiko chuckled. "I think that's up to him." Glancing up at the blue-eyed boy, she gave him a semi-curious look. "So how about you? I don't want to be the only one complaining about my personal life."

"You call that complaining?" He teased, then he looked back up at the "Do Not Cross" light again. He sighed. "Definitely."

Keiko tilted her head to the side, watching a trouble look pass over the boy's eyes.

"What is it?" she asked.

"When someone tells you they're 'fine,' how often do you think they mean it?"

"Not very often," Keiko replied automatically. "When I say it, it's because I don't want to bother with details. I don't think people are ever _just_ fine to begin with."

"Me neither, but there's this girl I know who's always says that," he said, then he paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "If I ask her what's wrong, she just smiles and tells me not to worry so much. She says, 'I'm fine'. I hear her say that so many times, like it's no big deal. Either she's trying to protect me or she doesn't trust me; I don't know which is worse," he scowled slightly. "I _know_ she's not okay, but she won't let me help- And even if she did, there's nothing I could do; I can't fix her past. It's all so frustrating. And now-now I found out she's been dating some guy I didn't even know about!"

Keiko touched his shoulder, startling him out of his rant. "You love her, don't you?" she whispered, her heart going out to him. Poor kid.

"Of course I do," he said, not realizing what she really meant. "I'd do anything for her."

"Then tell her," Keiko suddenly said, patting his shoulder. "Prove to her you're strong enough to handle her issues, and that you want to; she'll open up eventually, I'm sure of it." Keiko held his gaze and smiled to herself, thinking the determination shining in those blue eyes was incredibly romantic. _This woman won't know what hit her_, she thought proudly.

"You're right," he said after a long moment. "Kagome deserves better than some half-assed attempt at concern. I'll show her yet!"

* * *

_Semi-serious chapter, ne? I meant to update sooner this week, but I just couldn't find time between studying and sleeping off my cold; life has been kind of hard these past two weeks. =( I've also been on the verge of fighting with my boyfriend. -Saa, maybe it's the medicine that's making me evil? Heaven knows TheraFlu is the devil's incarnate. Ja ne, and thank you for the cheerful reviews!_


	9. Breakfast

**Vines**

**_Chapter 9_**

Punching in the numbers, Yuusuke paced the small span of his bathroom with his cell phone pressed against his ear. _Shit shit SHIT_! He wasn't picking up. Yuusuke hit 'end' and re-dialed for the third time. "Fucking answer your phone!" He hissed, but a soft knock on the door startled him.

"Yuusuke, are you all right?"

_No, I'm not fucking alright! _He flopped down on the toilet, shoving a hand through his hair.

"Give me a moment, willya?" He replied. Keiko huffed, muttering something under her breath as she walked away.

Alluding danger for a little while longer, he relaxed. "Kurama, you sonuvabitch-"

"_Hello?" _A groggy voice interrupted. Yuusuke jumped to his feet.

"_We have a problem!_" Yuusuke shouted, before he remembered to lower his voice. He glanced at the door, then hissed, "_get your ass over here NOW_!"

"Yuusuke? Is-"

"_Just do it, okay_!?"

Yuusuke snapped his phone shut and shoved it in the medicine cabinet to retrieve later. Then, glancing at his reflection in the mirror- the dark circles under his eyes and hair sticking up in every direction - he scowled.

_Fucking kitsunes_. _Why couldn't he get her phone number like a normal person_?

Yuusuke could hear Keiko bustling around in the kitchen, making "breakfast," as she had oh-so-innocently called it, but he hadn't missed the murderous gleam in her eyes as she shoved her coat and purse in his arms. Or the scent clinging to her clothes. _She knows_, he gulped. He didn't know how or why, but she had to know about Kagome and Kurama.

He shuddered. _She's going to kill me_!

* * *

Blowing on his cup of to-go coffee, Kurama's eyes followed the tall lines of the apartment building, tilting his head back as he took a sip. He could sense Yuusuke's energy on the fourth floor, along with another diminutive energy dancing around his. _Must be Keiko_, he deduced, as Yuusuke would _never_ call him at 8am, sounding panicked, unless Keiko was in trouble or he was in trouble with Keiko.

_Maybe she found out about Saturday night_, he thought, torn between amusement and pity for his friend. Keiko had a very strong sense of right and wrong- And if it was about Kagome and him, he was sure Yuusuke was getting the brunt of her anger. Kurama took another sip, his hot drink fogging the air before him. _He probably wants me to explain everything_. _Apologize, most likely. _Kurama lowered his drink, taking a deep breath.

And stopped.

_That smell_…

It tickled his nose, teasing him, alluding him as he tipped his chin, trying to get a clearer smell. It was weak, a mere imitation of the explosion of sensations and tastes it held when his nose was buried in her neck, but it was hers. _Kagome's_.

Suddenly, he found himself rushing through the doors and up the stairs, his coffee discarded on the sidewalk. _She was here; she had to be!_ His youki spread out as he brushed past the other residents without a word, greedily taking in the scent wherever it led him.

Yuusuke's apartment. He slowed, his breath coming out in a light pant. The front door was slightly ajar.

Kurama's heartbeat skipped, his blunted claws digging in to the door jam as his other hand gently pushed it open.

The shouting match rose a few decibels without the barrier.

"But Keiko," Yuusuke whined, "that's not-"

"That's _exactly_ what it is!" Keiko poked him in the chest. "And you know it! N_o __wonder_ she disappeared. In fact, you're both lucky she didn't report him!"

"Well, if she's anything like the girls who constantly _throw themselves _at Kurama, then-"

"Don't give me that, Yuusuke!" Keiko pulled back and tried taking a calming breath. Two deep inhales wasn't enough. "_You're so_-!!" Her eyes shifted to Kurama, surprise registering on her features. He was staring at her. "Kurama? Y-Your eyes…" She began, then stumbled back a few steps as the kitsune appeared a few inches away from her face. He dipped his head, crimson hair sliding over his face as he inhaled deeply where her shoulder met her neck. He closed his eyes. _Kagome_… Then he tensed. But there was another male's scent there, too.

"Keiko, please tell me," he whispered, tilting his chin so their eyes connected. The green hues had long since faded in to golden suns, both demanding and questioning. "Do you know someone named 'Kagome'?"

* * *

_Mwuahaha! The boys have their first solid lead. Of course, Keiko's a little misinformed herself. ;) I'm still sick, but feeling much better. Thanks again for your reviews! And note to self: Eating pizza 5 times in one week invariably leads to getting sick- Don't do it (even if it's tasty, tasty deception)._


	10. The Kitsune Condition

**Vines**

**Chapter 10**

Her heart stopped for a long, breathless, terrifying moment.

"Wh-What did you just say?"

"Kurama, get the hell away from my girlfriend!" Yuusuke thundered, stomping toward the pair. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and Keiko gratefully leaned in to his warmth.

But Kurama's eyes didn't leave her face, gauging her reaction, as he stepped away. "Keiko?" Kurama pushed, his voice soft.

Keiko shook her head. "I don't know a Kagome, but… the boy I met on my way here did. Why?" She left the question hanging, and a long pause filled the room. Keiko glanced up at her boyfriend, who was staring hard at Kurama. _There's something going on here_, she thought. "Yuusuke?" she whispered.

"You're wearing her scent," he answered gruffly, turning his eyes down on her. "What boy?"

"He goes to a school nearby." She shook her head, urging strength back in to her legs. She pulled away a little. "And don't ask me, 'what boy?' in that tone of voice, Yuusuke. He was just trying to make it to school on time and nearly ran me over at a crosswalk. We ended up talking on my way here."

Kurama shoved his hands in his pockets. "Keiko, what did he say? Why did he smell like her?"

"Why do you want to know?" Keiko shot back. Her hands found their way to her hips, and she eyed them both. "I won't tell you two anything until I know what's going on. And you," she pointed at Kurama, "have some explaining to do. You slept with some girl Saturday night, didn't you?"

"I did," Kurama replied, nodding his head slightly. "But I won't apologize for it, Keiko, nor would I have acted otherwise."

"You-" She began, but Yuusuke pulled her roughly back to his side.

"Take it easy on him, Keiko. Jeez," he said. "He's going out of his freaking mind trying to find this girl; when he finds her, I'm sure he'll make it up to her for having sex on the first date. _Right_?" He shot a pointed look at the kitsune.

A wicked grin curved his lips. "Of course," Kurama replied. "Keiko, I know you don't agree with what happened on Saturday, but… it's imperative we find this woman."

"Why?" she asked. She was starting to feel distinctly out-matched and crossed her arms over her chest. "So you can have another go? I don't think so." Yuusuke squeezed her shoulders as a warning, and she shot him a glare. _Who does he think he is?_ She growled in her mind, shrugging off his hands.

"No," Kurama sighed. He moved to the nearby sofa and sat down, motioning for them to do the same. "So I can explain my… _our_ condition."

Keiko shot him a puzzled look, taking the seat closest to him with Yuusuke on her right.

Yuusuke snorted. "She saw Youko," he said.

"You're kidding!"

"I'm afraid not. But," Kurama turned his eyes to the detective's, "there's more."

"Fuck, Kurama. What else haven't you told me?" Yuusuke demanded, leaning forward. "I swear to god, if you marked her-"

Kurama held up his hand. "I haven't. Though, that's not to say I don't intend to."

There was another long pause as Yuusuke's mouth fell open and simply stared at the kitsune. Keiko glanced between them, unsure of what 'marking' meant - to her, it sounded like how a dog marked it's territory.

"She's not a possession, you know," Keiko interrupted, narrowing her eyes. That better not be what they're talking about! "And if you of all people haven't found her yet, Kurama, maybe it's because she doesn't want to be found. Haven't you thought about that?"

Kurama looked away and she watched as his golden eyes dimmed to their more familiar deep, foresty green color. Keiko bit her lip, cursing herself for being so insensitive. _Of course he has; This is Kurama I'm talking about_! "Kurama, I'm sorry. I'm just trying to understand," she said, reaching for his hand.

He turned his head, meeting her eyes - Keiko's gut twisted at the look there. "No need apologize," he said. "Sometimes I forget the differences between humans and demons needs some explaining."

"You '_intend_' on marking her?" Yuusuke finally exploded, looking as if he could have a heart attack at any moment. "_Are you fucking insane_?"

"I do not believe so," Kurama answered. "Please, let me explain before you jump to conclusions."

Yuusuke looked as though he was about to protest, but Keiko laid her hand on his. He snorted, leaning back in to the couch. Watching him for a moment longer, to make sure he wasn't going to interrupt, Keiko turned back to Kurama and nodded slightly.

"Kitsunes are a little different that most youkai; we feed on energy to survive," Kurama began. "Mostly through nature, but we learn at a young age the most potent energy is sexual. Each person's energy is unique, varying by strength, purity, and emotional state. When kitsunes take energy, they feel that person's soul, feel what that person feels, think what that person thinks - for just a few moments. It's a restorative process for both participates.

"Her energy," Kurama's eyes lowered slightly, and Keiko knew his eyesight had turned inward, "was delicious - the best I've ever tasted. She has an old soul and a very strong magic. It was… holy magic."

Yuusuke moved forward in his seat again. "What!"

Kurama shook his head. "I know, it doesn't make sense. My energy should have corrupted hers if that was the case, but there's no mistaking that kind of power."

"So… what is she? Is she human?" Keiko asked slowly.

"I believe so," Kurama replied. "But she knows about demons and, I..." Kurama met Yuusuke's eyes, holding them, before he finally relented. "Her energy may not be as delicious to another as it is to me. Kitsunes rarely find an energy that overflows them and when they do… They're loathe to give them up."

"You mean…" Keiko began.

"They're like crack?" Yuusuke guessed.

Keiko punched his arm.

"No, like _soul mates_, you jerk!"

Kurama smirked slightly at their exchange. "Both of you are right; it's like they're an addiction because our energies compliment each other. We're not meant to be, per se; but it's close. Now do you understand, Keiko? I couldn't stand to stay away - alcohol or no."

Keiko flushed. "I understand. I'm sorry I was so harsh on you before; I forget sometimes you guys aren't completely human. You have different… needs." She said, glancing at her boyfriend out of the corner of her eye. He lifted his eyebrows at her, and she looked away, blushing slightly. _Could Yuusuke tell too_? _If they were soul mates_? "So this girl," she began, clearing her throat.

"Kagome," Kurama and Yuusuke automatically corrected.

"Kag..." She glanced between then, mouth falling open as the pieces finally fell together in her mind. _That's why…_ She pressed a hand to her mouth, staring wide-eyed at Kurama. _That's why he was so concerned about that Souta's scent and -Oh my god! Souta!_

"Oh no," Keiko whispered out loud.

"What is it?" Yuusuke asked, his hand curling around hers. She tightened her grip.

"I-Just I- He's in love with her too," she blurted, unsure where to begin. "And he said he was just coming from-from her apartment. I didn't realize…"

"Are you sure?" Kurama asked. Keiko swallowed thickly, seeing the flash of hurt in her friend's eyes. She really didn't want to tell him this. _But maybe_, she thought, _maybe it's better this way. If 'Kagome' sleeps around, maybe it's better if Kurama finds out now rather than spend who-knows-how-long looking for her. And poor Souta, didn't he mention she was dating another guy too?_

"No, I'm not," Keiko replied, shaking her head. "He was only in high school. But he said he's known her for awhile, and that they're close; he asked me how he could help her, how," Keiko bit her lip again, wondering if she should reveal such intimate details about someone else's relationship, but decided it was the only way. "How he to make her happy again. There's something in her past, he said, something he can't fix that's breaking her."

"I see." Kurama folded his hands and rested his chin on them, not meeting their eyes as all three of them digested the new information.

"I'm sorry," Keiko whispered, breaking the silence. "I've never seen you this worked up about a girl before, yet here I am messing it all up."

"It's not your fault," Yuusuke said, falling back against the couch. "I'm just pissed we wasted so much time looking for her."

"Kurama?" Keiko said, tilting her head to the side and trying to catch the kitsune's gaze. He didn't turn her way, but a growl rumbled past his lips before he asked,

"Which school?"

"Excuse me?"

"The boy you met- which school did he go to?"

"I… the private academy a few blocks from here. The one with the black blazers and blue ties," she replied. Kurama nodded once, twice, and then he was moving towards the front door.

"Kurama," Yuusuke jumped up, trailing the kitsune. Keiko was just behind him, the determination flickering in Kurama's eyes feeding the apprehension already growing in Keiko's stomach. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find out the truth," Kurama answered.

"God-damn it, Kurama! Didn't you hear a word Keiko said!?"

"I would have smelled another on her, Yuusuke," Kurama answered, pulling the door open. "This boy may be our clue to finding her."

Yuusuke grabbed his jacket, prepared to follow his friend out. "_Who cares_? She's just a girl! -OW!" Keiko huffed, glaring at her boyfriend as he jumped up and down, holding his abused shin.

"Walk it off, jerk," she hissed. "You could learn a thing or two from Kurama about how to treat a girl!"

Yuusuke stared at her before shouting, "_fucking goddamn kitsunes_!"

The front door clicked shut.

* * *

_Yes! Finally we have a little back-story on Kurama's... issues. But keep in mind: Kagome isn't the type to fall head over heels for just anybody (at least, not this fic!). I've installed a 24 writing marathon at my house today with the tag line - "I will be far gone in to eccentric, pajama-wearing, "go-to-hell-I'm-busy" writer mode and I'd rather not bite your head off. Please keep the door shut! Love you~" And apparently it's working. Two chapters done, "?" to go! _


	11. Three Weeks

**Vines**

**_Chapter 11_**

**- Three Weeks Later -**

Kagome slowly opened her eyes, the sunlight creeping through the windows. White, gauzy curtains shifted in the breeze, and Kagome watched them, smiling as hazy mirages of silver hair and golden eyes floated in her mind, disconnecting from the hot mouth pressing against hers. Soft fur beneath her fingertips, rubbing his adorable ears, and the purr rumbling against her naked chest.

"_Youko_," she murmured sleepily, turning her smiling face in to the pillow, and closing her eyes. The warmth of his intangible body against hers almost lulled her back asleep if a thought hadn't struck her.

Her eyes popped open. "Youko," she repeated, shooting upwards. She turned, hands patting the sheets for another body and messy hair shifted before her eyes, her heart beating wildly in her chest. "Who the hell is Youko!?"

Almost every night for three weeks straight he had appeared in her dream world.

Kagome crawled out of bed, scowling- The blankets were twisted at odd angles, one of her pillows lying on the floor, and it was empty. It was always _empty_, and that made her madder than anything else. There were no silver-haired ghosts asleep there, nor _should_ there be.

"Stupid," she muttered, shoving a hand through her hair. It was driving her crazy. _Who was he_?

Her ring wiggled against her finger and she held it up, meeting it's green eyes as the vines stretched over her knuckles then embraced her finger again. "I don't suppose you know, do you?" she whispered.

* * *

Pulling a thin robe around her shoulders, Kagome scowled at the back of her little brother's head. His black blazer was slung over the back of the chair and his homework was spread over the counter- _Like he owned it_, she growled, tugging her hair up in a ponytail.

"You're still here?" She sighed. _He didn't give up, did he_?

Souta jumped, slamming his notebook shut. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously, moving closer to him. He covered his books with his forearms and smiled up at her. "Good morning, sis! How'd you sleep?"

"Great," she lied, peering over his shoulder. "What are you working on?"

"Homework," he answered, nonplussed. "Are you sure? You look awful."

Kagome glared at him.

"I-I mean- you seem tired."

"Save it," she growled, turning away. "So how long are you staying this time?"

"Dunno. Hey sis, can I ask you something?" Souta jumped up, following her around the counter.

_At least he made coffee_, Kagome thought, pulling down a mug from the cabinet and pouring herself a cup. She closed her eyes and inhaled, savoring the scent and taste before she looked back at her brother. He was leaning against the counter, watching her carefully with his arms crossed over his chest. "_Yes_?" she asked pointedly. He had been like this for weeks now; watching her, like she was planning a prison break or something. It was getting on her nerves.

He jumped. "What?"

"You wanted to ask me something?"

"Oh, yeah. Who's Youko?"

Kagome jerked toward him, eyes wide, the mug almost slipping from her fingers. "_What_?" she squeaked, heat spreading through her cheeks until she resembled a tomato.

"You were talking in your sleep last night," he said, then raising his voice to higher octave, said, "_'Youko… Youko, stop! This isn't-oh! Ohh!_' Sound familiar?" Kagome slammed her cup on the counter, and rounded on him, her fingers tightening around the edge of the counter. He was laughing hysterically, cradling his stomach. "S-Sorry, sis, I couldn't resist." He looked up at her, wiping a few tears from his eyes. "But really, who is he?"

"_OUT_." She hissed. He jumped, staring at her with wide eyes. She picked up the fruit bowl beside the sink, and hurled an orange at his head. He ducked just in time, running around the counter and using it as a barrier. "Get out, and don't you dare come back! _You-_ _You- _!!" A pear connected with his shoulder.

"I-I'm sorry! Kagome, don't- hey! " He dodged an apple, shoveling homework in his book bag and yanking his blazer off the chair. "What are you so mad about?!"

"Like you even have to ask!" Kagome was almost out of ammo when he made a run for the front door. He stumbled, grabbing his shoes, yanking the door open. "And STAY OUT!" she shouted as the plastic bowl bounced off the closed door. Kagome panted, the robe sliding off her shoulder.

_That's it_. She was calling a locksmith and she'd be damned in Souta ever found the spare.

* * *

_Wow... Life is really kicking my ass right now. I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to update, but I promise I haven't abandoned this story! All of you readers are too awesome. ;) There's been so much going on lately (breaking up with my boyfriend, dealing with post-break-up drama, having the flu, planning an affair with a composer in Amsterdam - not to mention mid-terms! lol, and if you think I'm joking about any of the above, I'm not. My yearly quota of drama was crammed in to 3 weeks, apparently) Damn. Also, NaNoWriMo began a few days ago (for those of you who don't know about it - Go! Google and participate!). But I'm doing my best. ^^ Also, I changed the format for the story to fit my gap of existence; it's easier for me to pick up at three weeks later than where I originally planned to do._

_What else to say? Oh! Yes, yes, we're almost to 'The Meeting.' lol! I'm actually pretty excited. And, some quick things: (Slavaskia) No, Kurama remembers almost everything about Kagome; it's Kagome with the shoddy memory- Instead, it's slowly emerging in her subconcious. Very slowly. Heheh. And to (Hellfire95x) I definitely want to take you up on that offer! :DD Also, to (SanestInsane) You had me at Hiroto. lol I have this irrational urge to hug you right now. Also! thanks to (Phoenix32) - You reminded me I haven't updated this story in faaaar too long and were really sweet about it. _

_And thanks again to everyone else for all of your thoughtful reviews and messages; they really mean a lot to me. _

_Write soon!_


	12. Single

**Chapter 12**

Yuka fiddled with a small notepad, biting her lip as she stared at the words written hastily across the fluorescent pink paper.

A name, a phone number, and one word written at the bottom in capital letters and two underlines: _SINGLE_.

She shouldn't, but…

She had been eating lunch with some of her coworkers when Kagome's tryst had just come up. All eyes turned to her and she couldn't resist giving a good story. Yuka had been half-way through her description of the sexy red-head when one of the girls gasped, dropping her chopsticks and -

Then, just like that, she had a name.

"_Tha-That's Shuuichi Minamino!_"

Yuka sighed, ignoring the curious looks of the guy next to her as she leaned back in her chair and rubbed her face with the heel of her hands. Minamino was nothing like the '_playboy'_ Kagome had described last week over dinner; in fact, the girls in her office were adamant, saying he had never done anything untoward with any woman (before this, anyway) for as long as they'd 'known' him. He even took care of his sick mother, for goodness sake, when other boys his age were more worried about chasing a short skirt. If anything, he sounded _too_ good to be true.

Intelligent, sincere, drop dead gorgeous…

And Kagome was _avoiding_ him, the little idiot.

"Stupid," she muttered, shoving fingers through her short-cropped bangs. Kagome hadn't given romance a second glance after the fiasco in middle school and high school with that two-timing ex of hers. Yuka instantly scowled as she remembered all the tears Kagome had cried because of that jerk.

No, Yuka just _knew _dating someone new would help. Anyone. It _had _to help - to erase the bad taste _Inu-whatever _had left in her mouth.

… Besides, it wasn't everyday a man like _Shuuichi Minamino _accosted you in a bar, kissed you, and called you beautiful, was it?

Yuka brushed her hair back, glancing stealthily around for her boss.

Kagome would _kill_ her if she did this. She shouldn't, but… Kagome had it all wrong. He was the _good_ guy. And, who knew, maybe he was just what she needed.

And, hopefully, Kagome wouldn't find out she interfered until she was happily (make that _very_ happily) married, or at least head over heels for this guy.

Yuka picked up the phone, pinning it between her shoulder and ear, and began dialing.

* * *

_Yuka decided to sneak her point of view in, too; it wouldn't do to let the boys have all the fun. ;) So it's short, it's sweet, but it's an update for now. I still haven't unpacked from my trip (it seems I can't bring myself to let go just yet), but classes started and the new year is in full swing. Happy 2010 everyone! Any interesting New Year Resolutions? And thank you, again, to those who reads my stories. This is for you!_


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